Sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce

For the sticky toffee pudding

• Medjool dates 225g, stoned and finely chopped
• Vanilla extract 1 tsp
• Self-raising flour 175g, plus extra for dusting
• Bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp
• Rodda’s butter 85g, plus extra for greasing
• Demerara sugar 140g
• Eggs 2, beaten
• Black treacle 2 tbsp
• Milk 100ml

For the sauce

• Light muscovado sugar 175g
• Rodda’s butter 50g, cut into pieces
• Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream 250g
• Black treacle 1 tbsp

1. For the sticky toffee pudding: preheat the oven to 180°c / gas 4. Butter and flour 8 mini pudding tins and place them on a baking sheet.
2. Place the dates in a bowl with 175ml of boiling water. Cover and leave to soak for 30 minutes until cool, then stir in the vanilla extract.
3. While the dates continue to soak, mix the flour and bicarbonate of soda together.
4. In another bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until slightly creamy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well as you go, then beat in the treacle.
5. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold in a third of the flour mixture and half of the milk into the egg mixture, being careful not to overbeat. Repeat until all the flour and milk are used. Finally, stir the soaked dates into the pudding batter.
6. Spoon the mixture evenly between the tins and bake for 30-35 minutes until risen and firm.
7. For the sauce: place the sugar and butter in a saucepan with half the cream. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time until the sugar has completely dissolved. Stir in the black treacle then turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble for 2-3 minutes (stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn) until it’s a rich toffee colour. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the rest of the cream.
8. To serve: once removed from the oven, leave the puddings in the tins for a few minutes then loosen using a palette knife. Turn out onto a plate and spoon over the warm sauce – serve with a dollop of Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream.